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Phoenix Police Investigate Charlie Kirk Statue Defaced With Red Paint

By Drooid · Sep 13, 2026, 10:38 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

TPUSA Statue Vandalized

Turning Point USA in Phoenix said vandals defaced the Charlie Kirk statue with red paint.
The eight-foot bronze statue by Quintin McCann was unveiled on Sept. 10, 2026, one year after Kirk’s assassination.
Phoenix police responded at 8:09 a.m. on Sept. 13, 2026, opening an investigation and seeking tips.
TPUSA COO Tyler Bowyer called vandals radical criminals and pledged to restore the statue.

Summary

Furnari Installs Statue

Sculptor Sergio Furnari used his savings to fund a $100,000 bronze statue.
He installed the monument in Times Square without a city permit or Times Square Alliance approval.
Furnari launched an online fundraiser promising donor names engraved on the statue’s platform.
Police halted Midtown Manhattan traffic while securing the crowded Times Square venue.
Fox 5 reported the 6-foot-5-inch statue of Kirk would be moved indoors by week’s end for security.

History

Historical Context

In 1886 France raised about 250,000 francs and the United States funded the pedestal, enabling Frédéric Bartholdi’s copper statue, engineered by Gustave Eiffel, to be dedicated on October 28, 1886. That joint gift sparked debates over public art and foreign sponsorship. Today new bronze statues of a political activist provoke similar backlash, reviving questions about artistic purpose and funding.

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TPUSA Statue Vandalized

Turning Point USA in Phoenix said vandals defaced the Charlie Kirk statue with red paint.
The eight-foot bronze statue by Quintin McCann was unveiled on Sept. 10, 2026, one year after Kirk’s assassination.
Phoenix police responded at 8:09 a.m. on Sept. 13, 2026, opening an investigation and seeking tips.
TPUSA COO Tyler Bowyer called vandals radical criminals and pledged to restore the statue.

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